


Busted and Red

by Vamprnce



Category: Saints Row
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Violence, Gen, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Stabbing, Violence, hello heres my first fic hot damn, playas bffs with johnny and aisha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 13:53:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17982320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vamprnce/pseuds/Vamprnce
Summary: Playa gets a visit from an old friend and rival from the Carnales, which brings a whole lot of trouble to his doorstep. Johnny gets a call an emergency call in the middle of the night.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter was posted/written as the second at first but I decided to switch them when posting here. Fic was inspired when Christian gets his first scars when joining the Saints. Also set in sr1 during the Carnales arc, it leads after the VK's (it's more referenced on how i played the game myself)
> 
> This is my first fic so i hope y'all enjoy it!

It’s way past midnight and playa’s now getting home, he just came back from a party some other Saints he made good friends before with were throwing. He wasn’t going to stay too long at first, but everyone pressured him to stay longer. What the hell, right? He was enjoying himself, he’s still glad he also didn’t get as smashed as the others so he could actually drive properly.

Walking up to the door he had his keys out, about to unlock it he noticed the door was cracked open. Playa froze in the spot he was standing and slowly reached back for his pistol. His nerves were through the roof but his face said otherwise, focused mixed with determination. Gun in one hand, he slowly pushed open the door with the other, he doesn’t want to pull a Johnny Gat and just rush in and start shooting. There might be a group of asshole in there, it’d be suicide just to rush in.Going slowly down the tiny hallway with his gun drawn he got to where the open doorway is connecting to the tiniest apartment in Stilwater. He leaned against the wall for a second getting prepared and whipped around the corner ready to shoot until he saw _Him_.

Playa almost dropped the gun completely being hit with shock. Just one single Carnales member was sitting there at the table in the dining room slash kitchen. The intruder had a huge smirk on his face and sat like he was in his own house not playa’s. He sat there quiet for awhile, smiling, and repeatedly stabbed the same spot over and over into the table, making a lot of deeps marks showing how long the Carnales was waiting here. His eyes were like a hawk, staring down playa without a blink.

“Cortez?… what the fuck are doing here?!” playa finally says. The intruder, now identified as Cortez, just chuckles and stabs the knife a final time into the table hard keeping it in place there. “Well, I see you still remember me Chris. It’s been too long, huh? How many years? Two or three? I like your place by the way, sorry for dropping by unannounced. Would’ve called but y'know.” Playa stood there silently, the pistol gripped tightly in his hand down by his side. “What are you doing here?” playa was gritting his teeth, way on edge seeing his presence again. “Just wanted to drop by, say hello to an old friend.”

Cortez stood up while pulling the knife back out of the table. They stood across from each other staring each other down, playa was quickly getting irritated with his stupid game. “I’m going to ask you one more fuckin’ time, what are you doing here?” he was pissed, he was cautious but stepped closer towards him. Cortez just smiled and chuckled in amusement, “you’re pretty cute when you get mad y'know? Still like the dumb lost puppy you were years ago, haha!” Playa felt lost at that comment, Cortez a guy he ran with before the joining the Saints doing petty crimes was standing there, mocking him. Is that all he wanted? Was that his purpose being here breaking into his apartment? “W-what?” playa responded confused. He clicked his tongue, “Still dumb as fuck too, huh? You still running with those fuckin’ lowlife’s, too?” He kept mocking and insulting.

Playa had his free hand in a fist, gritting his teeth so hard they’d probably crack. He just let him taunt him, he didn’t want to start a fight with him, though he’d have the advantage with him having a gun and Cortez having only a knife. But he knows how he is, he knows how he fights, he’s even dangerous with a knife as he is with a gun.

“Can you just get the fuck out?!” playa yelled, he was running out of patience now he doesn’t want to deal with this. “Oho! The little puppy can bark, too? Whatcha gonna do little bitch?” Cortez said smirking wide. “Why the fuck are you here, Cortez? Why don’t you just fuck off with the rest of your shit bag putas with the Carnales?” playa finally snapped. Cortez closed the distance between them in a second, he was staring down on him with a look of murder. Playa’s eyes went wide and looked up at him stepping back. “L-look, why don’t you leave okay?” Cortez started laughing at him, “Man you act tough, but your just a little pussy. I thought you were this tough gangsta now, ripping up our turf with your dumbass friend’s. You can’t even take me on?! What are you scared?”

Playa just furrowed his brows at him still trying to keep his distance, he wouldn’t admit it but he was feeling frightened by him. He can smell the alcohol on him too, which he knows makes him erratic and violent. Playa glances down and see’s him holding the large knife like he was ready to strike. Cortez’s attitude shifts, “I ain’t leaving ‘til you’re on the ground begging for mercy, you lil cunt.” He kept getting in his personal space and right in his face, playa’s not getting out of this the easy way.

Without warning Cortez grabs playa by the neck and slammed him down to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. The pistol that was in his hand slipped out of his grasp and slid across the floor away from them. Cortez sat heavily on top of him holding him down and the knife blade right on his neck. “Are you going to start begging or are we doin’ this the hard way?” he flashed a grin showing teeth. Playa’s mind went blank for a second, refocusing again he slapped his arm away and punch him hard straight in the face. It bought him a little time to crawl away and reach for the gun again, sadly Cortez recovered and snaked an arm around his neck pulling him up in a head lock. He squeezed tightly around his neck choking playa. “You little piece of shit, you could’ve just made this easy for the both of us. You asked for this.”

He gasped for air and struggled against him, he needed to get the gun but first he had to get out of his grasp. “Stop fuckin’ struggling, bitch. You’re just making it harder for yourself.” Cortez snarled in his ear, tightening his grip. Playa kept gasping, he couldn’t get choked out by this asshole, he thought to himself, he killed strongholds of his crew, he took down the damn Vice King’s. He can’t get fucking killed here, not by him. Playa gritted his teeth and head-butted him in the face hoping that would get him off but that just pissed off Cortez even more.

Playa stop stopped struggling when he felt went something stab his side. “I’m done fuckin’ playing with you low life’s” Cortez’s voice was beyond threatening, he held he the knife side ways and punctured it right under the right side of his ribs, he kept pushing it right into him. He wasn’t choking him anymore but kept him in the headlock. Playa’s eyes went wide and his heart thumped hard in his chest, he let out a scream when he kept pushing the knife farther. “Ya gonna beg now, little bitch?” Cortez taunted again. “F-fuck you” playa stuttered, trying to hold it together and not to show weakness to him. Cortez just chuckled, pulling the knife back out and letting go and let playa collapse on the floor. He hold the bloodied knife in his hand and stared down at him, displeased.

Playa coughed trying to catch his breath and gripped his side shakily, already feeling the blood rushing out of the wound. Playa grabbed the gun and staggered standing back up, face enraged looking at him. “If you want to shoot me then go ahead!” Cortez exclaimed loudly stretching his arms out wide. Playa whipped his arm up aiming directly at him while he held his wound trying to stop the bleeding. He pulled the trigger and–  

_Nothing_.

The bullet got lodged, playa cursed under his breath. Can this really be happening now? Playa looked in disbelief. That was enough time for Cortez to get the upper hand again, he swunged and his fist connected straight to playa’s face, hitting right in his eye. They struggled on the ground for awhile throwing punches, playa getting cuts and bruises on his arms in the struggle. It was getting dangerous now, playa was bleeding out faster making his fighting weaker. Eventually Cortez overtook him, playa’s breathing was heavy and his body feeling like it’s on fire. Cortez was ready to end this fight and put the blade back on his neck, the blood on it previously was still fresh. Playa tried his best to keep pushing him away while he’s on top of him but he was getting tired. He kept a hold on his arm trying to keep the knife back off him.

“Looks like I win” Cortez says while smiling, pressing the blade into the side of his neck, causing it bleed a little. He held playa’s head by the hair keeping it still. Playa’s head was tilted facing to his right, he saw a different gun laying on the ground near them. He got an idea but struggled against the man on top of him to grab for it. Finally he grasped the handle. Right at the time he aimed at him and pulled the trigger, Cortez slit the knife across his neck. Playa hit him right in the forehead making him fall right off of him, hitting the floor. He panicked and gasped, quickly holding his neck where the new wound is. His body shook but he laid still on the ground. He has to call Johnny, he needed him here.

He fumbled trying to get his phone out, his breathing was shallow and he felt dizzy with the blood lost. He quickly called Johnny, he just hoped he picked up. His eyes started to tear up and his hands couldn’t stop shaking, he almost dropped the phone before Johnny finally picked up. Johnny didn’t even have time the say hello, “J-Johnny… there’s.. there’s a Carnales… and blood… I-I need you over here” he said in a hurry and panic, he’s trying so hard to keep it together. “Woah, woah, slow down man, what happened? Where are you?” Johnny replied with worry in his tone. Playa can barely respond it was hard to breathe and he’s bleeding out quickly, “My… house.” Johnny can hear his breathing over the phone and his anxiety rose.

“Alright, just hold on okay? I’ll be there in a sec, don’t move.” His tone was stern, but not angry. He needed to stay calm for him. “Hey you hear me?” Playa started drifting in and out of consciousness and dropped the phone. Johnny wasted no time he quickly got ready and got his gun. He ran towards his car and sped towards the kids house, he parked right out front and saw the door wide open. It wasn’t making Johnny feeling better about the situation.

He rushed in gun drawn, and froze seeing the kid, a fucking Carnales dead on the ground and pools of blood near both of them. His heart fell to the pit of his stomach. He gave no attention to the Carnales and just ran towards the kids side. There was blood everywhere, his breathing was weak and his eyes were barely open. “Yo, I’m right here, just stay with me?” Johnny basically yelled. “Johnny…” playa just whispered. “You’re going to be okay, just stay awake alright?” He said, trying his best to reassure the kid. Johnny saw the tiniest smile from him.

He started putting pressure onto playa’s side and put some cloth he found on his neck, hoping it’ll help stop the bleeding at least. The kid didn’t look good, he was barely responsive. He had to act fast, he scooped up the kid, making him have a breathy groan as a response being picked up. “Just hang in there.” he said in a whisper that was only meant for him to hear. Johnny was rushing towards his car, carefully putting playa in the passenger seat. He couldn’t wait for an ambulance to come, it wouldn’t make it in time.

Playa was limp in the seat, not even conscious anymore. The cloth’s he put on the wounds were soak through with blood.  Johnny started the car and gripped the wheel, stepping on the gas as hard as he could and sped towards the hospital. He was furious but overall anxious about the kid in the next seat over. He glanced at him quickly the way there and he look so pale. He was pretty sure he wasn’t going to make it but he couldn’t think that way, not now. He has the help his friend, he has to keep him alive.

Getting to the hospital felt like 40 years. He rushed the kid in and the nurses and staff quickly set him on a stretcher and rolled him through the doors about to go through surgery. Johnny stood there, he couldn’t think of anything, everything happened so fast he didn’t even know what happened back there. It was three am, and Johnny just sat there in the waiting room, he didn’t have the heart to just leave when the kid was going through surgery. He couldn’t stop thinking about when he got to his apartment, he was so angry, why was a Carnales there? Who the fuck decided to take playa out by themselves? What the fuck even happened?

He laid back into the seat and sighed loudly, he noticed the blood on his hands. Like that made him feel even better. Aisha must be worried too, he basically ran out in a hurry after he got that call. He felt so tired. He hopes the kid is alright.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost getting taking out by a fellow rival member of the Carnales, the exact reason is unknown to Johnny but playa fully knows why and he’s not happy about it, Johnny stays by his side while he recovers from his wounds in the hospital.

Playa's lying comfortably in the hospital bed, still resting from event that had occur last night. Johnny came in a hour ago, he's still sitting there waiting until he woke up finally. He thought he would be up by now actually, it was starting to hit afternoon. He doesn’t blame him though. Johnny was sitting in one of the chairs that was placed next to bed, he originally was going to watch the tv that was left on while he waited, no sound playing but subtitles were on, but he kept glancing at playa the entire time, worry on his face. He looked over at him fully, greeted with his sleeping and bruised face. It wasn’t a pretty sight to see. A black left eye, busted lip, lots of cuts and bruises everywhere. Johnny’s eyes drifted down to the left side of his neck where it was wrapped in gauze and bandages. A horrible feeling hit his chest just looking at it, knowing what’s underneath. He felt guilty but doesn’t know why. He wish he came sooner, maybe even stopped the attack. He just felt like shit, sitting there, waiting, couldn’t even help one of his best friends when he needed it. If he wasn’t put in charge of VK’s by Julius instead he would’ve destroyed every last Carnales for even daring to touch playa. He was just mad at himself that he couldn’t be any more help to him, instead just to sit and stay here and watch over him. Suddenly he was snapped out of his dwelling as he heard rustling from the kid next to him. 

Playa stirred in bed, groaning a bit. Mostly from the fresh stitches pulling as he moved and the bruises also the nightmare he was going through at the moment. He furrowed his brows instinctively still asleep and gripped the blankets. He was saying something in his sleep but Johnny couldn’t make it out with him talking in a whisper.

Going through the memory again all he can see is a body laying down across from him, blood pooled around them, tons of it. His whole body hurts and he can’t even speak. Can’t even breath. He remembers the stabbing feeling in his side, someone grabbing him straining him in his hold. Then the knife on his neck – _Slice -_  then a gunshot.

Playa was startled awake from the nightmare, the memory of the dream gone in an instant, startling Johnny as well as he's watching over him. “Hey…” Johnny only say, in a low tone. He still looked worried especially how the kid was acting. Still in a panic, playa looked around the room then centered on Johnny. Suddenly relaxing seeing a familiar face, he sinks back into the bed trying to still his nerves. “H-Hey… what happened?” playa asks, brushing his fingers through his messed up hair. “Well” Johnny starts, “for starter’s you called me up last night, I couldn’t even understand the fuck you were saying” playa smirked a little at that, Johnny continued “I came over because it sounded serious, I walk in and see you, some fuckin’ dead Carnales and a whole bunch'a blood.” The sudden realization hit him and all the memories came back rushing it. The word Carnales made him tense, Johnny ended up noticing this. Playa gently touched his neck where the bandages was and just sighed. The whole event was true, it actually happened, not just a fucked nightmare. “Yo, you alright?” Johnny asked, genuine worry in his tone. “Yeah… just tired…” Is all the playa can manage to say, while it was true he just didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Playa sighed again, looking away out the window avoiding eye contact. Johnny rubbed the back of his neck feeling awkward as hell, playa was silent again as usual. 

The awkward silence in the air was too much for Johnny, he got a clue that playa wasn’t going to be much of a conversationalist now. He didn’t press for details about the situation last night, even though his curiosity wanted him to. Trying to lighten up the mood a little, Johnny speaks up, “hey, whatever you did was still pretty badass” he said smiling confidently leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms. The sudden out of nowhere comment took playa aback, and he quickly looked back at Johnny with shock written on his face. He was really fond of the praise especially coming from him nonetheless. Playa didn’t even know how to react to that, all he did was smiled and hid his face like a little school girl. Johnny just chuckled, he was glad that perked his mood a bit, the kid look like he got hit with ten truck honestly. “How long have you been waiting here?” Playa said in a such quiet voice, blushing a bit. “About a hour, I guess? You’ve been sleeping since I dropped you off here last night.” he just nodded in response then suddenly smiled again. 

“You and Aisha still want to hang? well, i mean, whenever I’m out?” playa asks. “hell yeah! Man, Eesh was really freaking out about you once I told her, y'know I think she likes you more than me. If that’s even possible.” playa laughed pretty hard at that one which he regrets with his stitches pulling with the sudden movement, making him hiss in pain. “Shit sorry, man” Johnny says, playa still smiles and giggles lightly at the joke. Johnny sits there and smiles, he’s just glad to make playa happy at least. Playa kept giggling though making Johnny looked at him quizzically but kept smiling “yo, it’s really not that funny. Man, they must’ve really drugged you up huh?” Johnny just laughed with him. 

They stayed like that for a few hours, talking about nonsense and shit happening with the Row, some stuff about Aisha too. Playa started drifting off again while Johnny was in the middle of talking. The drugs and just being super fatigued started to take an effect on him, eventually he just knocked out completely, bundled in the blankets the staff supplied him and face almost smothered in the fluffy pillow. The bed was absolute crap, but when you feel beat down tired it really doesn’t matter. “I keep telling Eesh, Freckle Bitch’s is fuckin’ great, but y'know, with her she has no–” Johnny cuts himself off seeing playa asleep again, he chuckles. I guess it was getting pretty late now, it almost being six pm, he’s also surprised he wasn’t shoved out yet for staying over visiting hours. He slowly gets up out the chair, kinda reluctantly though he was actually getting way too comfortable here. He looked over his sleeping body and sighed, that bad feeling he doesn’t understand still won’t go away. Man he still wished he could kick the motherfucker’s ass who ever actually tried to take him out like this. What a fucking coward he was. Playa ended up getting him first, he still has no clue how he could down that guy while being that severely injured and bleeding. Multiple stab wounds nonetheless! Johnny smirked and started heading out of his room, this kid – he was something special. 

A few days later playa was discharged out if the hospital. Johnny basically came and checked on him each day while he recovered, sometimes he brought Aisha along with him. They just hang out in his room like they’d usually do. On the day he was finally let to go home, he was changing back into his own clothes, finally out of that damn gown. Johnny brought over some fresh clothes as the one’s he was wearing were stained in blood. Playa was lost in his thoughts still thinking about that mess, he was pissed. With Johnny and Aisha visiting he didn’t have time to think about it with being distracted. Playa didn’t want to see  _him_  again but he ended showing up at his shitty little place in the Row. Playa had a snarl plastered on his face, the audacity of  _him_ showing up and trying kill him. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, already fully dressed and just replaying the events over and over in his head, they just won’t leave. 

A voice called out to him and it made him flinch on instinct, shaking him out of his thoughts. Johnny was standing in the doorway waiting for him to get ready. “You comin’ or what or do like eating the shitty food here?” Johnny said. Playa rolls his eyes and smiles, standing up from the bed and started walking towards him. He was limping a little, mostly because from the stitches still in his side. They walked out the hospital and over to Johnny’s car, that sweet Venom. Johnny got into the driver’s seat while playa slid in the passengers. Starting up the car, he pulled out of the driveway and started driving off. “So, you okay to head back to your place or?” Johnny asked. Playa looked over at him and wasn’t sure how to answer. He didn’t feel comfortable going back there so soon, sleeping in the same place where you almost got murdered and a gang can still come after you? Hell no. Playa cleared his throat suddenly it feeling tight, “ I don’t know… I was thinking about crashing at King’s old place, just for awhile…” Johnny nodded, “sounds good, those fuckers are probably still going to try to come after you. If I see any of them coming near your place they wish they never should’ve woken up that day.” Johnny says this in an angry tone, in a threatening manner. Playa’s smirk was so wide, he felt something flutter in his chest hearing that. They rode in silence for awhile after.

“Yo, ya wanna hit up Freckle Bitch’s real quick?" 

"Shit, I thought you’d never ask.” Johnny replied smiling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of the angsty drama, but it's a happy ending overall


End file.
